Grade 3 Writing Rubric
Outcome (indicators)
Context
CC3.1 Compose and create a range of visual, multimedia, oral and
written texts that explore: identity, community, social
responsibility and make connections across areas of study.
4 – Mastery
3 – Proficient
2 – Approaching
1 - Beginning
Creates original, thoughtful and/or precise written
texts that explore identity, community and social
responsibility and include:
 main idea(s) with in-depth details,
explanations, and examples
 an intriguing beginning that introduces the
topic
 a middle that is skilfully sequenced and
connected to the topic
 an intriguing ending
Creates clear, specific, and/or logically written
texts that explore identity, community and social
responsibility and include:
 main idea(s) with relevant supporting
details, explanations, and examples
 an interesting beginning that introduces
the topic
 a middle that is logically sequenced and
connected to the topic
 an interesting ending
Creates general, basic and/or simple
written texts that explore identity,
community and social responsibility and
include:
 main idea(s) with predictable details,
explanations, and examples
 a predictable beginning that
introduces the topic
 a middle that is partially sequenced
and connected to the topic
 a predictable ending
Creates limited, or unfocused written texts
that explore identity, community and social
responsibility and include:
 main idea(s) with vague or repetitive
details, explanations, and examples
 an ineffective beginning that may or
may not introduce the topic
 a middle that is inaccurately
sequenced and may not be connected
to the topic
 an ineffective ending, or no ending
(b/d) Clearly communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas, findings and
information pertaining to topics, problems, questions or issues.
Insightfully expresses and explains ideas and
findings on a topic.
Clearly expresses and explains ideas and findings
on a topic.
Simply expresses and explains ideas and
findings on a topic.
Vaguely expresses and explains ideas and
findings on a topic.
(e) Create a variety of narratives and poems.
Creates a variety of detailed narratives and poems.
Creates a variety of clear narratives and poems.
Creates a variety of general and simplistic
narratives and poems.
Creates incomplete and/or undeveloped
narratives and poems.
Writes 3-paragraph thoughtful and detailed
compositions (short report, procedure, poem, story
– personal) that describe and explain familiar
objects, events, and experiences.
 Creates intriguing characters and events
from outside students’ personal
environment.
 Appropriate use of excitement, humour,
suspense, and other creative devices.
 Writes intriguing descriptions that use
concrete sensory details.
Writes clear, relevant 3-paragraph compositions
(short report, procedure, poem, story – personal)
that describe and explain familiar objects, events,
and experiences.
 Creates characters and events from
outside students’ personal environment.

Begins to use excitement, humour,
suspense, and other creative devices.
 Writes clear descriptions that use
concrete sensory details.
Writes basic, simplistic compositions (short
report, procedure, poem, story – personal)
that describe and explain familiar objects,
events, and experiences.
 Creates simplistic characters and
events from outside students’
personal environment.

Attempts to use excitement,
humour, suspense, and other
creative devices.
 Writes simplistic descriptions with
limited use of concrete sensory
details.
Writes limited, unfocused, incomplete
compositions (short report, procedure, poem,
story – personal) that describe and explain
familiar objects, events, and experiences.
 Creates vague characters and events
from outside students’ personal
environment.

Little or no use of excitement,
humour, suspense, and other
creative devices.
 Writes vague or repetitive
descriptions.
CC3.4 (e) Writes narratives (short script, story – fictional) that
provide a context within which an action takes place and includes
characters and their traits, setting, and problem and solution in
students’ stories.
Writes thoughtful and detailed narratives (short
script, story – fictional) that provide an in-depth
context within which:
 an action takes place
 includes characters and their traits
 setting
 problem and solution
Writes clear and relevant narratives (short script,
story – fictional) that provide a context within
which:
 an action takes place
 includes characters and their traits
 setting
 problem and solution
Writes basic or general narratives (short
script, story – fictional) that provide a
context within which some of the following
are included:
 an action takes place
 includes characters and their traits
 setting
 problem and solution
Writes limited, unfocused narratives (short
script, story – fictional) that provide a context
within which few of the following are
included:
 an action takes place
 includes characters and their traits
 setting
 problem and solution
CC3.4 (i) Writes personal letter, thank-you notes, invitations, and
Writes interesting personal letters, thank you notes,
Writes personal letters, thank you notes,
Writes simplistic personal letters, thank you
Writes undeveloped personal letters, thank
(c) Create written texts and other representations that include:
 A main idea with supporting details
 A beginning, middle and end
 Appropriate use of language and conventions
Message
CC3.4 Write to communicate ideas, information, and experiences
pertaining to a topic by creating easy-to-follow writing (including a
short report, a procedure, a letter, a story, a short script, and a
poem) with a clear purpose, correct paragraph structure, and
interesting detail.
CC3.4 (d) Writes compositions (3-paragraph reports) that describe
and explain familiar objects, events, and experiences.
CC3.4 (f) Creates characters and events from outside students’
personal environment.
CC3.4 (g) Writes descriptions that use concrete sensory details.
CC3.4 (h) Begins to use excitement, humour, suspense, and other
creative devices.
logs.
Use of Strategies
CC3.4
(a) Works through the stages of the writing process
invitations and logs.
Purposefully and insightfully uses appropriate
strategies (before, during and after) to
communicate meaning when writing.
invitations and logs.
Consistently and logically uses appropriate
strategies (before, during and after) to
communicate meaning when writing.
notes, invitations and logs.
Inconsistently and simplistically uses
appropriate strategies (before, during and
after) to communicate meaning when
writing.
you notes, invitations and logs.
Rarely and vaguely uses appropriate
strategies (before, during and after) to
communicate meaning when writing.
(b) Selects and uses appropriate strategies (before, during, and after)
to communicate meaning when writing.
Before
 uses prior knowledge & experience
 aware of purpose & audience
 generates/collects ideas
 uses organizers to plan
Before
 uses prior knowledge & experience
 aware of purpose & audience
 generates/collects ideas
 uses organizers to plan
Before
 uses prior knowledge & experience
 aware of purpose & audience
 generates/collects ideas
 uses organizers to plan
Before
 uses prior knowledge & experience
 is aware of purpose & audience
 generates/collects ideas
 uses organizers to plan
During
 creates drafts
 self-corrects
 uses “fix-up” strategies
 confers with others
During
 creates drafts
 self-corrects
 uses “fix-up” strategies
 confers with others
During
 creates drafts
 self-corrects
 uses “fix-up” strategies
 confers with others
During
 creates drafts
 self-corrects
 uses “fix-up” strategies
 confers with others
After
 revises content
 revises organization and flow
 revises sentence structure
 revises word choice
 edits spelling, punctuation and capitalization
 confers with others
 polishes work
 shares work
 considers feedback
After
 revises content
 revises organization and flow
 revises sentence structure
 revises word choice
 edits spelling, punctuation and capitalization
 confers with others
 polishes work
 shares work
 considers feedback
After
 revises content
 revises organization and flow
 revises sentence structure
 revises word choice
 edits spelling, punctuation and
capitalization
 confers with others
 polishes work
 shares work
 considers feedback
After
 revises content
 revises organization and flow
 revises sentence structure
 revises word choice
 edits spelling, punctuation and
capitalization
 confers with others
 polishes work
 shares work
 considers feedback
Precisely and purposefully extends, reworks, and
polishes pieces of writing for an audience in and
beyond the classroom.
Extends, reworks, and polishes pieces of writing
for an audience in and beyond the classroom.
Simplistically and partially extends,
reworks, and polishes pieces of writing for
an audience in and beyond the classroom.
Undeveloped and/or incompletely extends,
reworks, and polishes pieces of writing for an
audience in and beyond the classroom.
 language is consciously well chosen for purpose
& audience
 tone and voice are engaging
 flow of composition is effective
 topic is effectively maintained throughout
composition
 details are vivid
 complete sentences include both simple and
complex structures in a skillful manner
 sentences vary in length in a skillful manner
 word choice is innovative for the type of
composition
 capital letters are used accurately throughout
the composition
 spelling is correct
 punctuation is accurate and purposeful
 cursive writing is used confidently
 language is straight forward and appropriate
for purpose & audience
 tone and voice are evident
 flow of composition is logical
 topic is maintained throughout composition
 details are specific
 complete sentences include both simple and
complex structure
 sentences vary in length
 word choice is meaningful for the type of
composition
 capital letters are used accurately for names,
months, places and the beginning of sentences
 spelling is generally correct
 punctuation is accurate
 cursive writing is used with some support
 language is acceptable and basic for
purpose & audience
 tone and voice are simplistic
 flow of composition is predictable
 topic is partially maintained throughout
composition
 details are simplistic
 complete sentences are of simple
structure
 sentences vary little in length
 word choice is simplistic for the type of
composition
 capital letters are used accurately at the
beginning of sentences
 spelling is partially correct
 punctuation is partially correct
 cursive writing is used with extensive
support
 language is unclear or inappropriate for
purpose & audience
 tone and voice are limited
 flow of composition is disconnected
 topic is confusing throughout composition
 details are undeveloped
 sentences are incomplete
 sentences are run-on or the same length
 word choice is limited for the type of
composition
 use of capital letters is minimal and/or
inaccurate
 spelling is often incorrect
 punctuation is often incorrect
 cursive writing is inaccurate or not used
CC3.4 (j) Extends, reworks, and polishes pieces of writing for an
audience in and beyond the classroom.
Cues & Conventions
CC3.4 (c) Understands and applies the suitable pragmatic, textual,
syntactical, semantic/lexical/morphological, graphophonic, and other
cues and conventions to construct and communicate meaning when
writing.